The team leaves on Monday morning for Guinea Bissau and this being Okumbi’s first match in charge of the senior team, the coach must start on the right footing. Okumbi must get his team selection and tactics right and give local football fans, who have for long been starved of a victory, something to cheer about.

This week will be a defining moment for the team as Kenya hosts the return leg match on Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The team has not performed well in the recent past, missing out on a chance to play in the 2017 African Nations Championship last month as well as the forthcoming Olympics.

Football Kenya Federation and the government must do everything possible to ensure that the team gets the best preparation ahead of the match. Officials must make advance plans for the team in Guinea Bissau to avoid a repeat of the last-minute confusion that has been witnessed in the past.

Football Kenya Federation officials must make proper arrangements to give the players a conducive atmosphere to produce positive results on the pitch. All the best to the team.